Ghee in the Windy City

Nobody says welcome to Chicago like the wind does. It swirls through you down to your bones, whisking your cheeks with sweet drops of air. It treats you no different then the native walking across the street. The one who is well versed in leaving the house with a scarf and mittens. It even howls with excitement at your arrival. Most of all, it gets the Vata in your constitution, already rattled from the move, jumping through the roof. Ain’t a true Chicago move without a Vata party. And it’s not a true Vata party without some ghee.

Weird that I’m the only one rsvping yes to this party.

To the ghee!

The golden oil of ghee helps lubricate the channels of the body for easy digestion, circulation and grounding. Due to the clarification process of Ghee, it does not contain milk solids so while it is not vegan, it’s free of Casein and Lactose. It’s also has one of the highest smoke points (485 Degrees F), which means it’s ideal when sauteing, grilling or frying. Bonus, it smells fantastic and has an alkalizing benefit.

I use ghee on toast, popcorn, for cooking, sauteing veggies, oatmeal, corn on the cob, baked potatoes etc. Whenever I reach for butter I choose ghee instead. I use it when I move to the windy city because a double whammy of Vata calls for some serious grounding. How do you ghee?

1. Place butter in a medium size saucepan on medium heat. Once butter melts it will form a thick white layer on top. Scoop the layer out a bit so that you can see through to the bottom. Sometimes I turn the heat down depending on quick it is cooking. You want to make sure it doesn’t burn. Extra points if you chant while cooking or maybe just belt out your favorite tune.

2. Stir frequently. The butter will slightly boil. Once boiling comes to a still. Ghee will be complete. About 10 – 15 minutes. You want to make sure the milk solids on the bottom have turned white to brown.

3. Next you will transfer ghee to a jar using the cheesecloth, this assures that the milk solids don’t make their way into the jar. The ghee will pour out as a golden oil but will harden to a butter type substance within a few hours.

Store ghee in a dark cabinet for up to 2-3 months or in the refrigerator for up to a year (although it may not last that long). It’s important to use a ghee spoon. This means that not double dipping the ghee spoon into whatever else you are making. This will keep the ghee super fresh. Party time!